Method for making ornamental panels, signs, and the like



' 1,614,263 11 1927' w. H. SPENCER METHOD FOR MAKING ORNAMENTAL PANELS, SIGNS, AND THE LIKE Filed March 18 1926 l 4 w TN E55 INVENTOR EYS Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. SPENCER, F BOGOTA, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO I. P. FRINK INC., 0] NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METHOD FOR MAKING ORNAMENTAL PANELS, SIGN 8, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed March 18, 1926. Serial No. 95,684.

This invention relates to the formation of designs, legends, or the like upon suitable bases or backgrounds to form ornamental panels, signs, etc., such, for example,

as the ornamental signs shown in United States Patent N 0. 1,525,107 which was grant-' ed in my name under date of February 3,1925. The primary object of my invention is to provide certain details of refinement in methods for producing ornamental signs, panels, and the like, and as exemplified in In above identified patent, contemplates an il uminated sign constructed on a base of glass or other translucent material.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide animproved process for electroplating portions of an ornamental sign, panel or the like, which portions surround or lie contiguous'to other portions which are not-electroplated.

Certain specific objects of invention will appear in the specification and be pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which show a preferred embodiment of "my invention, and in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary cross-section of a permanent base which may be constructed of plate glass or any other suitable material;

Figure 2 is a similar fragmentary crosssection of said base after a sheet of resist or masque has been applied thereto;

Fi ure 3 is'a similar fragmentary section showing portions of the resist or masque cut away to roughly conform to the'design or legend to be produced on the sign;

Figure 1 is a similar fragmentary section of the partly-finished sign after superficial portions of the plate glass have been re- 40 moved by some suitable agency such, for example, as sand-blast or hydrofluoric acid, to conform to the design or legend to be produced;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-section similar to Figure 4 showing the application of a conductive layer preparatory to an electro-deposit of metal;

Figure 6 is a similar fragmentary crosssection showing the partly-finished sign after a flash deposit of electroplating;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross-section of the partly-finished sign afterthe removal of those portions of the preliminary conductive layer and superimposed flash deposit which panel or sign;

Figure 10 1s a fragmentary cross-section cover the untouched original surface of the glass;

Figure 8 shows a fragmentary cross-section of the finished sign according to one of the adaptations of my invention shown on the drawings;

Figure 9 is a plan view of the finished of the partly-finished sign according to a modification of the process subsequently to the" stage shown in Figure 5;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary cross-section of the finished sign according to this modificd adaptation of my invention.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary cross-section of the completed sign or panel according to another embodiment of my invention,

According to the embodiment of my invention shown in Figures 1 to 9 of the drawings, a permanent base 1 which may be constructed of plate glass or other suitable material, is prepared for having portions of its surface roughened by the application of a sand-blast or other suitable agency, by covering it with a masque or resist 2' as shown in Figure 2. After portlons of this resist or masque have been cut away to correspond to the design or legend to be produced, as indicated at 3 in Figure 3, the base 1 is immersed in hydrofluoric acid or exposed to a sand-blast whereby exposed portions of said base are excavated as indicated inFigure 4:. According to this adaptation of my invention, this operation forms a roughened background 4 extending around and contiguous to raised portions 5 ofbase l which raised portions remain due to the protection afforded them by the residual portions of! the resist or masque. As shown in Figure 5, a conductive layer 6 is applied to the roughened surface and extended in such a way as to cover the resist or masque portions 2. For this purpose, a graphite solution or a coat of metallic paint such as that referred to in my above identified patent, may beutilized to form a permanent conductive layer on the roughened portions 4 of the base and an integral extension thereto over the resid ual portions of the resist or masque. The

partly finished sign thus produced is nextimmersed in an electrolytic bath to receive a flash deposit 7 of electroplating as indicated tion of my invention in suc in Figure 6. The residual portions of the resist or masque above the raised ortions 5, are then removed together with t e flash de osit of metal superimposed thereon, as in icatedin Figure 7, this operation being performed according to the resent adaptaa way as'to leave a projecting fin or rid e 8 of electrically conductive material as s own in Figure 7. It will be understood from this description that when the partly-finished sign or panel in the form shown in Flgure 7 1s laced in an electrolytic bath, the electroeposition of metal will produce a metal layer 9 with a relatively heavy raised border alon the fin or ridge 8 and around the edges of the design or legend. This rocess produces a pronounced ornamental order of great beauty as shown in Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings.

Referring now to Figures o, 10, and 11 of the drawings, my invention contemplates a modification in the above process, according to which the residual portions of the mas ue 2 together with the superimposed portions of the conductive layer shown in Figure 5, are cut away flush withthe original surfaces of the raised portions 5, thus leaving'the partly-finished sign or panel in the form shown in FigurelO. The subseuent electroplating operation accordin to t is procedure, may thus be made to pro uce -a border of greater finish due to the better defined edge of the conductive layer left by the sharply defined cut made in removing portions of. the conductive layer as originallfi applied.

eferring now invention shown in Figure 12, the process described above in connection with Figures 1 to 9 inclusive, has been applied to' the production of an ornamental panel having a base or block 10 which has been excavated by sandblast or other agency to receive a conductive coating 11 with a superimposed flash deposit of electroplating. Prior to the deposition of the main layer 12 of electroplatin the layers of conductive coating and flash deposit ave been cut away in such a manner as to leave an upwardly-presented ridge 13 which during the final electroplating operation, produces a pronounced ornamental border 14 which in this instance extends around the electropiated area as indicated in Figure '12. Y

My improved method as described above may be advanta eously employed for the grilles, etc.

'In the manufacture of signs, wherein the letters are usually made transparent or translucent, the metal may be deposited upon the background.

For ornamental plates where the field is usually made transparent or translucent, the

to the embodiment of my metal may be deposited in the plate to form the design.

I claim 1. The method of forming signs, which method consists in forming a permanent base, in forming roughened surfaces contiguous to a design or legend to be produced, in a plying a conductive layer to the roughene areas as well as to the areas correspond ing to said design or legend, in electroplating said conductive layer, and finally in removing those portions of the conductiveand electroplated layers superimposed upon said design or legend.

2. The method of forming signs, which method consists in forming a protective covering over those portions of a permanent base corresponding to the design or legend tobe produced, in removing portions of the superficial areas of said base to form roughened surfaces contiguous to said design or legend, in applying a conductive layer to the roughened areas as well-asto the protective covering superimposed upon said design or legend, in electroplating said conductive layer, and finally in removing said protective covering together with the conductive coating and electro-deposited layer superimposed upon said design or legend.

3. The method of forming signs, which method consists in forming a protective covering over those portions of a permanent base corresponding to the design or legend to be produced, in removing contiguous portions of said base, in applying a conductive layer to the protective coveringof said design or legend and to the surface left by the removal of said base portions, in remov ing said protective covering together with its superimposed portion of-the conductive coating, and finally, in electroplating the remainder of the sign covered by the conductive layer.

4:. The method of forming signs, which method consists in forming a protective covering over those portions of a permanent base corresponding to the design or legend to be produced, in removing contiguous portions of said base, in-applying a conductive layer to the protective covering of said design or legend and to the surface left by the removal of said base portions, in imparting to said conductive layer a flash elec- ....-troplating the remainder of the sign covered by the conductive layer.

5. The method of forming signs, which -method consists in preparing a permanent base with portions of the superficial area thereof roughened to correspond to the design or legend to be produced, in appl ing a conductive layer to the roughened an unwhich lie a ove the unrou hened areas together with the correspon ing portions of the electro-deposited layer of metal, and in continuing the electroplating process on the electroplated roughened areas until the desired thickness is obtained.

6. The method of forming a device of the character described, which method consists in forming a permanent base, in forming a design or legend on said permanent base, in applying a conductive layer to the surface of said base, in electro-plating said conductive layer, and finally, in removing portions of the conductive layer with superimposed electroplating to conform to the design or legend to be produced.

7 The method of forming an ornamental panel, which method consists in forming said panel with smooth and roughened areas correspondingto the ornamental design to be produced thereon, .in applying a conductive coating over the entire superficial surface of .said areas, in electro latihg said conductive coating over its entire superficial area and in removing the portions of the electroplated conductive coating overlying the smooth areas whereby a sharply] defined border line is formed arou'ndthqse portions of the electroplated coating overlying the roughened areas. v v

8. The method of forming an ornamental panel, said method consisting in forming a permanent base, layer to the surface of said base, plating said conductive layer,-.in removing in applying a conductive" I m electroportions of the conductive layer with corre- 9 sponding portions of the superimposed'eleclated layer, and finally inicontinuing trop the electroplating process on the unremoved portions of the electroplated conductivelayer unt1l the desired thickness is attained.

WILLIAM H:. SPENCER. 

